never leave me
by littlepinkbook
Summary: this is a fairly dark fic, something that Arnold will one day have to deal with. Not a continuation of parting is such sweet sorrow!


The day was unusually bleak and grey, there was a bitter cold lingering in the air and the atmosphere in Kennedy College was strangely depressive, no one was in a very good mood, or at least that how it seemed_._

Helga was in her first class of the day, advanced English literature. She sat in her desk near the back watching the door anxiously_. _

"Where is he, he's going to be late", she thought, glancing to the empty desk beside her.

At this point the lecturer entered the room, nodding apologetically to his students for his tardiness. Mr. Hart was Helga's favourite teacher, he was fairly young so he knew how to tune in with the students and connect with them. He loved his job and he taught the class with a passion. He wasn't a bad looking guy either, much to the delight of most of the female participants of the class. 

However, he had a favourite pupil. An extremely talented young blond who was sitting at the back looking very concerned.

"Apologies boys and girls, car trouble! But I'm here now, so you can stop panicking", he explained jokingly.

There were mild laughs and a few groans to Mr. Hart's comment; Helga looked ahead trying to pay attention to the following lesson.

"OK, now if I remember correctly you have creative writing piece's due tomorrow, am I right?" Asked the young teacher.

"Actually they were due today", pointed out a small, rather quiet looking boy at the front of the class.

The boy received many crumpled pieces of paper thrown at him and mutters of "Way to go Jacob",

"Hey, ok kids, that's enough! Jacob's right anyway", said Mr. Hart, checking something in a notebook "Your homework is due today, thanks Jacob",

Jacob smiles smugly and nods in reply to his teacher. Helga rolls her eyes at the reclusive boy and pulls out her homework; she'd done hers at least.

"Just pass them down to the front please",

Helga tapped her pen irritably against her notebook, Arnold still hadn't arrived for class and now she was worried, he was never ever late for class. She knew he wasn't sick, he was fine the last time she saw him. The urge to whip out her cell phone and call the boarding house was becoming irresistible. Helga was living on college campus, she wasn't going to spend anymore time than possible living in her old house with Bob and Miriam, and she was gone before they had even confirmed she had a dorm.

Arnold however remained at home, mostly to take care of his Grandparents.

She continued to think about Arnold and where in the name of criminey he was when someone calling her name snapped her back to reality.

"Helga!?" Called Mr. Hart.

"Huh, oh sorry Mr. H", apologised Helga.

"Its cool, but seeing as the class has started I wouldn't mind if you joined us", joked the young guy, receiving laughter from his other charges. Helga blushed and nodded in apology,

"Sorry sir, I guess I'm not quite awake yet", mumbled Helga.

"Mmm-hmm, listen where's that boyfriend of yours? It's not like him to miss class", asked Mr. Hart.

"I know, it isn't like him at all. I don't know here he is", explained Helga, biting her lip.

Mr. Hart's brow furrowed in concerned confusion,

"Really? That's a bit weird, well if you see him tell him I'll be expecting an explanation next session", 

"Will do sir"

Mr. Hart nodded in satisfaction and continued to talk about imaginative writing. Helga tried to stay on the ball but her mind kept wondering to Arnold, her notes were thin and mindless and she ended up just waiting dumbly for class to be over. Finally that moment came…

"Alright, get outta my sight", joked Mr. Hart waving his students out the door. 

Helga couldn't have gotten out of there fast enough, she didn't have another class till the afternoon anyway. She ran to her dorm that she shared with, her best friend since elementary, Phoebe. The smaller girl was already there, clicking away at the laptop that the girls shared.

The blond threw her book bag down and headed towards the phone.

"Hey Helga, how was class?" Asked Phoebe, not looking up from her project.

Helga mumbled something in reply to which Phoebe turned to face her.

"Helga, what's the matter?" She asked, looking up at her flustered friend.

"Hello, Arnold?" Asked Helga, as soon as someone picked up the phone.

"Helga?" Said a young voice at the other end.

"Yes Helga, remember me", she barked sounding annoyed "Where the heck are you?"

"Um, I don't want to talk right now, I'll see you…sometime!" He replied gruffly and hung up.

Helga looked at the phone dumbly, she was in shock. She dropped it down with a click, then looked at Phoebe who looked back at her in confusion.

"What was that about? Was Arnold not in class? What did he say?" Questioned Phoebe, wanting answers.

"Um, he…he," stammered Helga, swallowing a lump in her throat "He doesn't want to talk to me, he sounded mad, I don't get it! Did I do something wrong?"

"What? Of course not, the last time I saw you two you were as sickeningly in love as ever", reassured Phoebe.

Helga's expression turned to a scowl as she ran her hand across her dampening eyes, and she stood up determination shining in her beautiful blue eyes.

"You're right, I haven't done anything! He's just not telling me something and blowing not just me but class off for no reason, well I'll tell you something! I'm not having it, I'm gonna find out exactly why he felt the need to hang up on me", she cried, heading for the door.

"Wait, Helga…" protested Phoebe, but it was too late. The hot-tempered blonde was already gone. She sighed in defeat and decided to go find Gerald to see if he had any answers, she went off in search of him.

*

Helga pulled up in front of the Boarding house in her little blue Volkswagen, and killed the ignition angrily. She marched up the steps and rapped on the door sharply. She stood tapping her foot with annoyance for quite some time before a woman answered, her eyes were red and she looked at Helga in surprise.

"Helga? What on earth are you doing here?" She asked hoarsely.

"Hey Mrs. Kakoshka, is Arnold here?" She asked, looking quizzically at the young woman.

"Oh, no…he, he's not", she answered shakily "You haven't spoken recently have you?"

"Uh, no" replied the blonde in surprise "I called before I came over but he made an excuse and hung up on me"

"Ah", said Suzie, understanding blossoming on her face "Helga, Arnold's at the hospital"

"What?" whispered Helga, her eyes widening.

"Don't panic, there's nothing wrong with him. Oh honey, I think you'd better come inside", sighed Suzie, ushering in the young woman. Helga did as she was beckoned; looking more confused than ever.

*

Helga rushed into the waiting room of the hospital, looking panicked and on the flustered. She ran up to the reception and slammed her hands on the desk making the receptionist jump glare at her.

"Can I help you miss?" Asked the woman dryly.

"I hope so, I need to find…" she began but was interrupted by someone calling on her.

She turned to see the owner of the voice was Arnold, standing in the corridor holding a cup of coffee, staring at her in surprise. His eyes were also red and puffy; it was obvious he had been crying. She turned him and sighed, dropping her hands at her side and her eyes sparkling from tears that were threatening to fall. He smiled at her weakly and set down his cup of coffee.

She ran to him and was met by his comforting arms around her, she held him tightly, her tears wetting his shirt.

"Oh Arnold, I'm so sorry", she breathed looking up at him.

He kissed her cheek softly and stared back into her eyes, his own glazing with tears.

"Oh Helga no, I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that, it's just that…"

But she shushed him before he could finish,

"I know, its ok, I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions", she told him. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"I'm glad you're here, but aren't you going to miss class?"

"Yeah…what's your point", she replied, he smiled at her and led to her to his Grandpa's room

They went into a small room where Arnold's Grandpa was lying on a bed, hooked up to machines of all shapes and sizes. He was breathing heavily and next to him sat Gertie, holding his hand tightly. She turned to see her Grandson and the girl that had become a granddaughter to her. She smiled at them both weakly and ushered them inside. Helga placed and hand over her mouth in distress from the scene in front of her.

"Phil, dear, can you hear me? Arnold's back, and Helga's here", whispered the elderly women to her husband. 

The older man groaned in pain and Gertie's expression took on pain to match. She dabbed her husband's forehead gently with a cloth; his brow was glistening with a thin sheen of cold sweat.

Arnold rushed to his Grandmothers side and helped her as she began to sob quietly again.

Helga remained in the doorway, not quite knowing what to do. Till suddenly Phil stirred and his eyes fluttered open, he turned and saw the frightened young woman in the door. He mustered a warm smile and gestured for her to come over. She did so and sat beside the man, who took her hand.

"Helga", he began in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Yes sir?" She replied, choking back tears.

He chortled hoarsely, and shut his eyes but continued to speak.

"Helga, honestly after all this time you still can't push aside your manners to forget the formalities", he joked "I just want to say something to you, I don't have much time left…"

"Oh don't say that…", she squeaked, becoming upset.

"Honey, its ok", reassured Arnold.

"Yes, just listen. Helga, you are the best thing to ever happen to Arnold, he is very lucky to have you in his life. You're a good girl and I know he'll treat you right, he loves you very much and his Grandma and I could not be happier that his heart belongs to you, we love you like a granddaughter."

Tears were now falling freely down Helga's cheeks as she listened to the mans words. He smiled at her as she sobbed silently.

"Don't cry dear", breathed the old man, she could tell that talking was now becoming harder for him. Arnold appeared behind her, tears also staining his cheeks. He put his hands on her shoulders to give her strength. 

His Grandma sat silently, smiling sadly as she watched the scene.

"Look after him, keep him right for me, dear", requested Phil.

"I will, thank you Phil, I will", sobbed the young woman.

"And Arnold" said Phil turning to his Grandson "I've watched you grow up into a very fine young man, you've made me and your Grandma so proud, we love you more than anything in the world. The day you came into our care was the happiest day of our lives, look after your Grandma and don't let Helga get away!"

"I don't think you'll need to worry about that", sniffed Arnold, now sobbing "Grandpa, I love you, please don't go", pleaded the boy, hugging his Grandfather tightly.

The man smiled sadly and hugged his grandson back.

"Be strong Arnold, if you two kids don't mind I'd like a moment alone with your Grandma?" Asked Phil, releasing the blond boy.

The couple nodded and left the room to get some coffee, Arnold held onto Helga tightly as they headed slowly down the corridor. He felt like his world was crashing down around him and that if he let Helga go he might lose her too, that would truly crush him.

They sat closely together in the corner of the waiting room, sipping coffee in silence. Neither of them knew what to say they both had never experienced death and were talking it hard.

Helga nuzzled into her loves chest for comfort, she listened to his heartbeat and felt a strange feeling of solace. She heard him sigh a sad, heavy sigh his heart was taking a beating and she knew it.

"Arnold?" She said quietly

"Mmmm?" He murmured in reply.

"I, uh, I'm really sorry…" was all she could muster.

She felt a sad chuckle issue from his throat,

"Oh Honey, what for? This isn't your fault, its no ones fault. It's just that…."

"I know, I know Arnold", she finished, wrapping her arms around him tightly and drawing him close to her. She kissed him tenderly, the warmth of his lips made her forget the sorrow that was weighing them down and they melted into each other.

When the young lovers finally parted, Arnold hugged Helga to him closely and whispered to her,

"Don't ever leave me", he said shakily, the young woman could tell that tears were threatening to show themselves and she felt a twinge of pain in her heart in seeing him like this.

"I never will", she breathed reassuringly.

They both new that they were truly soul mates and would be together forever, although they had never admitted it out loud to each other, they both knew it in their hearts.

*

Phoebe paced up and down the dorm she shared with Helga with impatience. She was squeezing a stress ball and tossing it from one hand to the other. Suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door and she jumped and ran to open it. Gerald bustled into the room, out of breath.

"Well? Was he there? Was Arnold at home? Was Helga with him?" Rambled the small girl, bombarding the poor guy with worried questions.

"Calm down Pheebs, he wasn't there but they told me where he is and Helga's with him", he puffed.

"Oh thank goodness, I was so worried, so where are they?" Sighed Phoebe.

"They're at the hospital", he told her.

"What!" She shrieked.

"Its Arnold's Grandpa, he had a stroke during the night and he was rushed to the infirmary. It doesn't look good", sighed Gerald sadly.

"Oh my God, that's awful!" 

She looked at the clock radio on the dresser, the red numbers flashed 8:30, and she frowned and thought a moment.

"We should go down there", stated Phoebe.

"You think?" Asked Gerald.

"Yeah, they may need some support. We'd better bring them something to eat, we can stop off at the 7/11", she decided, grabbing her bag and throwing some random items into it, keys, purse, cell phone….

"Lets go!"

Gerald simply followed obediently.

*

Helga was fast asleep in her loves Arms, breathing softly. The light was dim in Arnold's Grandpa's room; Gertie was lying beside her husband, drifting in and out of consciousness. Phil's breathing was shallow and raspy, sweat glistening on his brow. The room had a thick atmosphere, it was clammy and you could cut the tension with a knife. Death was hanging in the room, it was lingering, hovering, waiting. Like an invisible vulture it hung, playing on the hearts of all in the room.

Gertie's sleep was fitful and her brow was creased with worry. The grief was swallowing her and dragging her down, Arnold looked at his Grandmother with worry. The loss of Phil may destroy her and Arnold fretted over her welfare, she was a strong woman, he just didn't know how strong. She'd need him and Arnold planned on being there for her.

He sipped some of the Yahoo soda that Phoebe and Gerald had brought them, he loved them both. Arnold felt himself very lucky to have such wonderful people in his life. Alas, his friends had left hours ago. It was heading for midnight; Helga had stayed with him this whole time. She didn't have to but she did.

The blonde in question stirred in her sleep, she frowned, she sub-consciously sensed the evil in the air that was dragging them all down but she drifted away again, her brow smoothing out.

Arnold looked down at her lovingly; he softly caressed her hair and kissed her gently. He loved her so much, at his touch she sighed happily in her sleep. He held her close and rested his head on hers. With the beautiful comfort of her closeness he slowly let the soft tendrils of sleep claim him and he drifted into the silent recesses of slumber.

The next morning the room was empty, the lingering cloud of death had cleared but grief still reigned. The dawn had not brought relief; Phil had passed away during the night. Arnold knew that this devastating event was near but he had never really prepared for it, his grief felt so strong that he feared it might never leave him. 

He comforted his Grandmother as much as he could, but she continued to assure him that she was fine. He didn't believe her, he knew that this was killing her. Helga had cried herself to sleep and was now resting in Arnold's bed.

Through the days events Arnold had kept up a front, a strong barrier that made him everyone's strong hold. He remained the rock and composed himself for the benefit of the ones he loved, this was something that he learned from Helga, he never thought he would use it but this was something he needed to do.

However that night, as Helga still slept in his bed, he sat beside her looking up into the sky through his skylight and he cried, he sobbed silently through the night. He released every bottled grief from the past few days, he had been strong from the age of nine, and it was his turn to be weak.

__

Fin


End file.
